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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23307340">in your light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/04smuse/pseuds/04smuse'>04smuse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Baby Boy Park Chanyeol, BaekYeol - Freeform, Ballerina Chanyeol, Bottom Park Chanyeol, Boxer Baekhyun, ChanBaek - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Secretary Baekhyun, Top Byun Baekhyun, University Student Chanyeol, age gap, baekhyun is so caring and loving, chanyeol's so soft and pure</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:54:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23307340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/04smuse/pseuds/04smuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun was standing at that endless, unfamiliar abyss that was diminishing Chanyeol's heart, but when he held him tight, there was no darkness because of his light.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. my night shines so bright</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>pls forgive me if there are any typos or grammatical errors! (◕‿◕✿)</p><p>this fic is based off the song ‘in your light’ by fromm &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Baekhyun admired the moon. </p><p>They say that the moon is a loyal companion, it never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing everyone in their light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections. He admired the way the moon adorned the dull sky with all its might, leaving the stars unscrutinized and untouched by his eyes. There were many days where the orb of light was veiled by the clouds and he was unable to witness its light seep through the curtains in his room, but tonight is completely different; Baekhyun is able to admire the way the moonlight seems to set a spotlight for his guidance. The moon had always paved his way towards a success he constantly longed for, all he needed was the beam for reassurance, and the moon was finally providing him with that on this splendid night.</p><p>As he took puffs from the cigarette resting between his pink lips, he leaned against the garage door of the house he was currently at, with his eyes fixated on the sky he was standing beneath. His knuckles were wounded badly by the boxing session he just had at least two hours ago, so it made it hard for him to keep his fingers steady and still around the thin cylinder in his mouth, Baekhyun could care less, though. Aside from the stress he faces from his adult life, boxing is the only way he would release his frustration and stress; he has been participating in boxing sessions ever since he was in high school, which was about ten years ago. Enduring the beautiful pain he obtained from boxing is all worth it. Although his career and his passion were very contrasting from one another, he still manages to make both tie themselves together so he could at least earn pleasure from the harsh reality. During the day, he worked as a businessman; more specifically, a secretary to a CEO he wasn’t very fond of. By night, he spent hours in the gym, letting his temperament rest from work. He was indeed happy with the way his life flowed right now.</p><p>He ignored the sting on his right hand when he dropped it down to his side and averted his eyes away from the scintillating moon, feeling pleased from taking in the beauty. Just when he took one last puff and let the cigarette fall to the ground, crushing it with the heel of his dress shoes, certain whines coming from a young boy it seems, stopped him from doing so. He looked up to see a tall boy full of youth get dragged towards the house by an older woman who appeared to be his sister, from their similar features. Baekhyun chuckled to himself, reminiscing back to the days where his brother had to force him to attend family functions. He averted his gaze down to the cigarette and crushed it with his shoe, he then took out a piece of mint gum from the pocket of his blazer and was about to unwrap it but his actions came to a halt when the boy fell right in front of him, onto the wet concrete. Baekhyun immediately bent down to help him up, but he wasn’t expecting the boy to start crying.</p><p>“Oh my god, Chanyeol. I’m so—” The sister glanced at Baekhyun before kneeling down next to her brother to help him up, yet the boy slapped her hand away.</p><p>“Don’t touch me! I told you my feet were hurting too much so why did you have to drag me like a fucking dog on a leash?!” The boy exclaimed, constantly wiping the tears off his face with the dirtied sleeves of his pure white sweater. He scooted back, further from his sister only to bump into Baekhyun’s knees. He turned around, facing the bewildered man who exuded an aroma of strawberries and cigarettes. “O–Oh my god, I’m sorry you had to see this…” The boy’s voice that was once angry softened and he picked himself up with the help of Baekhyun’s hands on his elbow and back.</p><p>Baekhyun chuckled, shaking his head and pulling out a handkerchief from his blazer. “You guys are good. Take this, though, clean yourself up from it before heading inside.”</p><p>“T–Thank you,” The boy took the cloth from his hands and bowed.</p><p>His sister took the handkerchief from him, “God, Chanyeol, you cannot go in like that or else Dad will kill us both.” She was beginning to wipe the dirt off his clothes.</p><p>“As if I even want to go in there anyway.” </p><p>Baekhyun watched how the boy’s lips were naturally tucked in a pout. When they made eye contact for the first time, he noticed how his eyes were like a doe’s, just like Bambi. His ears were excessively large, though, not that it looked weird on him or anything, the large ears actually suited him very well. It seemed like the boy was an entrancing piece of art, and Baekhyun wanted to purchase the piece with all the money he had. He would bid loads and loads to make the art his own. Being entranced by someone just within minutes of meeting them was very rare for him. He was far from the aspect of love or infatuation, he would rather be swimming in a sea of strangers than embedding himself onto someone’s fair heart; he thought it was a waste of time. The boy who stood in front him, though, seemed to have taken his breath away.</p><p>“I have an extra shirt in my car that he could borrow for the night,” Baekhyun suddenly offered, his heart jumping straight to the finish line, leaving his mind hung in the back. The siblings looked at him with shocked eyes, then back at each other. The sister dropped her hands from the boy’s sweater and flashed him a sweet smile, “Are you sure that’s okay with you? The dirt is coming off his sweater anyway.” </p><p>Baekhyun smiled back. It was definitely okay with him. He just wanted to lavish the young boy’s beauty for a bit longer. “Of course it is, I’m offering. You can head inside and I’ll bring him in once he’s finished changing..?”</p><p>“That sounds good! Thank you so much,” The sister handed him back the handkerchief and Baekhyun slipped it into his pocket. “Our dad is just really… Let’s just say he likes to show off a lot. If he sees Chanyeol walk in there with dirty clothes, hell would break loose.” She glanced at the boy with an empathetic look on his face, and the boy just stared down at his shoes. </p><p>“It’s all good, I’m happy to save you guys from trouble.”</p><p>The sister just laughed and patted her brother’s back before heading inside the house, leaving the two males alone outside. They stood underneath the moonlight, hearts beating fast, breathing turning heavy at their fulfilling presence which remained unknown. Baekhyun just cleared his throat and spoke up first, breaking the silence between them. “Um, I have just a plain black tee, if that’s okay with you?” </p><p>The boy just nodded and looked up at him with his eyes that held a tiny twinkle in them, Baekhyun swore he felt his entire heart skip a sudden beat, startling him entirely. “Y–Yes, that’s okay. I’m grateful for anything you let me borrow.”</p><p>The older man smiled at how polite he was. </p><p>“Alright, I’m Baekhyun by the way, I’m here because I work as the CEO’s secretary.” He introduced himself very lightly as he began to lead the boy to his car which was parked across the street from the house. </p><p>“I’m Chanyeol, the CEO’s son, and that girl was my older sister, Yoora.”</p><p>Baekhyun stopped at his tracks when they were about to cross the street. He turned around, facing the younger who was surprised at the abrupt halt. “Wait, what? What did you just say? You’re Director Park’s son?” God, Baekhyun was swooning over his boss’s son. He would come off as lewd and definitely creepy if anyone were to know. He did not want that to happen. Ever. </p><p>Chanyeol nodded slowly, his head hung low, “Y–Yes… Is there something wrong with that?”</p><p>“No!” Baekhyun waved his hands in the air and shook his head repeatedly, “Of course not! I’m just shocked. I knew Director Park had children but I thought they would be old or something, y’know?” They continued their path to Baekhyun’s Audi RS7 and crossed the street. He unlocked his car. “I thought you guys would be pretty old, like me, but you both seem to be very young.” He spoke, opening the trunk of his car and pulling out a freshly washed black t-shirt for Chanyeol to wear.</p><p>When he closed his trunk, he looked at Chanyeol, noticing how he stared at his wounded hands. Baekhyun chuckled, he could scrutinize the confusion yet alarming look across his face that was full of innocent youth. “I’m a boxer. I sometimes avoid using the gloves because they make my hands feel clammy.”</p><p>An ‘ah’ left Chanyeol’s mouth, and the tiniest smile grew on his face. “I’m only twenty–one and Yoora is twenty–four… Don’t tell anyone this but I’m not his real son, so Yoora and I don’t get along as much. But sometimes we do...” The younger explained, his voice trailing off at the end yet dripped with uneasiness. </p><p>“But you guys really look alike?” Baekhyun handed Chanyeol the shirt and the younger hesitantly took it. </p><p>“Yeah because we have the same mom, but different dads. My own dad isn’t in the picture anymore, so I’m with Yoora’s instead.” Chanyeol elaborated vaguely, and Baekhyun took that as a sign to cut the conversation short. It was easy to figure that Chanyeol had felt some prejudice throughout his life, maybe a lot, maybe less, but from the way his aura emanates inferiority, he came out as a fragile boy. From television series, movies, books, Baekhyun was aware of what step kids went through and most of the time, it was not too much of a positive experience. He wanted to tell the boy words of assurance but he knew too little about him, they met just a few minutes ago, so Baekhyun had no right to dictate how Chanyeol felt about his life.</p><p>Baekhyun ended up letting the younger change into the t-shirt in the backseat of his car while he waited outside for him, he leaned against the door, blocking the window so no one who was passing by in the peculiarly busy neighborhood street could see through. His eyes danced along the stars in the sky that surrounded the moon’s ambience, he couldn’t help but smile when Chanyeol’s bambi–like face appeared in his mind, his bright yet barrened eyes that twinkled in the pure caliginosity that belonged to the nighttime. </p><p>When he heard the door of his car click, he stepped aside and made room for Chanyeol to step out. The black shirt fit him perfectly, Baekhyun thought. It was quite loose, since the older preferred wearing excessively large clothing, but it still hung off Chanyeol’s limp body more than it did on Baekhyun. “You can just leave your sweater in there. Just remember to meet me after the party to pick it up.” He ordered, earning a small nod from Chanyeol then folded the sweater neatly and placed it on the seat. Baekhyun closed the door behind them and he eyed Chanyeol from head to toe, even though the younger’s formal outfit got ruined from his fall, he still somehow looked completely entrancing in the contrasting casual clothes.</p><p>“Shall we head inside?” Baekhyun offered, tipping his head towards the direction of the house. The younger just sighed and nodded once again, never using his words. Baekhyun locked his car before they began walking back to the house, side by side. The repeated silence between them was excruciating, and the older kept glancing down at the boy’s shoes, hoping he would find words to say to him because he was beginning to feel quite worried that he possibly disliked him. But for some reason, the silence allowed Baekhyun to sense the tension the younger was holding in him, tension that leaned towards embarrassment and nervousness.</p><p>He cleared his throat, “What are you thinking about, Chanyeol?”</p><p>“Hm,” The younger hummed. “Nothing much, why?”</p><p> <i> Lies. </i></p><p>
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</p><p>“I’m thinking about what you’re thinking about.”</p><p>He heard him giggle.</p><p>Baekhyun’s head arose and he looked at Chanyeol, seeing a breathtaking smile adorn his pure face. The older man felt something in him twist and turn, probably his heartstrings that remained untouched till tonight. </p><p>By the time Chanyeol’s pretty giggle stopped ringing through Baekhyun’s ears, they reached the front door of the house. Baekhyun glanced at Chanyeol who fiddled with his fingers, he opened the door for them both and Chanyeol waited for a moment for Baekhyun to walk in first, but the older gestured him to move forward instead. Chanyeol gave him a small smile and mouthed him a ‘thank you’ before entering the house, dispersing amongst the sea of strangers to most likely find his sister.</p><p>Baekhyun walked in, instantly being greeted by his coworkers who he considered his friends. He swiftly joined their conversations and laughs, but all that lingered on his mind was that certain twenty-one year old. </p><p>︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵</p><p>“Hyung,” Baekhyun heard a familiar voice approach him from behind, he was in the middle of pouring himself a shot of soju because he felt the need to wash away the thoughts he was being drained in; an hour of socializing with his coworkers and their families has passed, and Baekhyun was unable to drift himself away from Chanyeol who was beautifully tainting his mind. Baekhyun was beginning to consider himself sick for thinking about a boy who had just passed the age of consent, not that he was thinking of him in a lewd way, he just felt absolutely insane for letting such a young boy dominate his thoughts. “Have you said congratulations to the Director's brother’s wife?” Baekhyun was suddenly snapped out of his daze.</p><p>“What?” He placed the half emptied soju bottle down and turned to his young coworker, Kim Jongin. “No, I haven’t, I don’t even know her.” </p><p>Ah, yes. They were at a party congratulating his boss’s brother and wife for their second child. Baekhyun could care less, he was obliged to come, though; all workers were. He downed the shot of soju and was reaching to get more with a sour face, but Jongin snatched the bottle away first, moving it out of Baekhyun’s reach. “Nuh uh, you have to lay back on the drinking, hyung. I’m not letting you go home drunk tonight.”</p><p>Baekhyun surrendered and set the glass down. He felt horrid inside. </p><p>“I tried to approach her in the living room but I couldn’t, she’s too busy monitoring the Director's son play with Yuan.” Jongin muttered, taking Baekhyun’s glass out of his hand and taking a shot of soju himself. Baekhyun glanced towards the direction Chanyeol sat with his sister and the baby’s mother. He had the baby in his lap and they both were toying around with a small bouquet of flowers that was probably brought as a gift. The baby was twirling around a stem in his small hands while Chanyeol was tucking one behind his ear, the younger had also had one tucked behind his own ear as well. Baekhyun couldn’t help his heart flutter at the wholesome sight of Chanyeol playing with a baby, he didn’t understand why it was fooling around with him.</p><p>“We can congratulate her once the party is over, I guess.” Baekhyun said, never taking his eyes off Chanyeol who was smiling so brightly. A sigh from Jongin was heard and quickly caught his attention. He looked at the younger and instantly detected the distressed expression sprawled across his face. “Hey, Kim, what’s wrong?” He asked, pushing the sight of Chanyeol to the back of his head so he can put more attention on his best friend. Him and Jongin had been buddies ever since they started working at the Park Corporations, they both shared the same first day and fought through each and every single obstacle together. Although Baekhyun was Director Park’s secretary and Jongin was just a regular businessman, that didn’t hinder their friendship at all.</p><p>Jongin sighed and leaned against the counter and stared straight ahead, directly into nothingness. “Kyungsoo and his little gossiping friends were annoying the shit out me after you left, so I left in anger after telling them to shut their—”</p><p>“Ah ah, ah.” Baekhyun quickly hushed him from cursing, “Calm yourself down. What were they saying that pissed you off so badly?”</p><p>“They’re talking about Director Park’s son.” Jongin said, grabbing a water bottle from the counter beside them. Baekhyun felt the emotion drain from his face and he swore he felt his own ears perk up. He watched Jongin twist open the water bottle and before he took a sip, he elaborated; “Apparently Director Park is giving him a hard time because he wants him to become the chairman next to him but the kid wants to become a...ballerina, I think? I don’t understand why they’re so fucking concerned about Director Park’s personal life, as if it even applies to them.”</p><p>Jongin took a sip of his water and Baekhyun leaned back against the counter, staring back at Chanyeol’s direction. He was still smiling as bright as ever, he was so sterling and delicate. <i> What hides behind that pretty face, Chanyeol? <i> Baekhyun wanted to ask.</i></i></p><p>
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</p><p> <i> “Ballerino,” <i> Baekhyun corrected Jongin, side eyeing the younger. “He wants to become a ballerino.”</i></i></p><p>
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</p><p>“I didn’t know that was the term used to address males who do ballet, I didn’t even know that males are even interested in ballet.” Jongin exclaimed. </p><p>Baekhyun didn’t think that what Jongin just told him was a rumor, it seems to be pretty real to him. He remembered Chanyeol mentioning something about his feet hurting to his sister when he took the fall. Now, he was slowly beginning to perceive the afflictions Chanyeol had to vanquish. He was someone who had to battle expectations, judgements, the hard reality everyone had to face but seemed to be quite more burdensome to him, Baekhyun just hoped that the possible pain he thinks Chanyeol was feeling would be deemed as beautiful instead of arduous. </p><p>“You can stay with me till the party’s over, and those rumors, they’re really not worth our time because it has nothing to do with any of us whatsoever.” Baekhyun shrugged, tearing his eyes off the young boy who was innocently playing with the baby. He bit the inside of his cheek, his vision unintentionally getting drawn back to him. The baby was clawing at the black shirt and Chanyeol tried pulling the hold off, clearly trying to protect Baekhyun’s shirt from getting ruined somehow. Baekhyun held back his grin as he watched them from afar, the way Chanyeol pouted down at the two year old as if he was also a two year old too, the way he appeared as a scintillating diamond that makes anyone near him shine as well. While the gaze on him persisted, Baekhyun was not expecting their eyes to suddenly meet.</p><p>Chanyeol had an apologetic look across his face when he gestured down to Yuan who was now chewing at the hem of the sleeve. Baekhyun just mouthed an ‘it’s okay’ to the younger, he was aware of how babies went through an oral stage throughout their developmental process, they seriously loved to have anything in their mouth. Chanyeol nodded, flashing Baekhyun the sweetest smile which he had returned. They both gazed at each other for a few seconds until Yuan seemed to have bitten Chanyeol’s arm, judging from the way Chanyeol yelped and pulled him back. Amidst the loud noise filling the first level of the house, Yuan’s laugh had echoed, making the smile on Bawkhyun’s face sit for a little longer.</p><p>“Not going to lie,” Jongin started, catching Baekhyun’s attention. “But Director Park does seem to come off as rough on his son. After he let you go the other day, his son had stopped by to drop off dinner since Director Park was staying back late; while I was clocking out, I heard him call his son a nasty name. But don’t tell anyone I told you this, okay, hyung?” Jongin clutched on baekhyun’s arm with pleading eyes, “this should stay between us… I don’t want to spew up any more rumors. I feel like the kid has already had enough because he is aware of what people depict about him.”</p><p>Baekhyun brushed Jongin’s grip off his arm and turned to face him fully, so Chanyeol was no longer in his sight. “What? What do you mean? And I won’t tell.” </p><p>“He called him a,” The young man leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “bastard,” Baekhyun’s face altered into complete shock, “I know right? It’s shocking isn’t it? Calling your own son a bastard. Director Park is seriously a piece of ass.”</p><p>“Okay, okay, okay, Jongin, this is really none of our business.” Baekhyun was clearly bothered by it, he could imagine Director Park spitting ruthless names at Chanyeol and Chanyeol, being the helpless boy he appeared to be, stood there with his head hung low. “Let’s just congratulate Mrs. Park and get the hell out of here.” Baekhyun truly did want to leave. He felt his blood boiling as the thought of Chanyeol getting called a bastard by Director Park, who was his step father, made him angry, and for what? Why does he feel so much anger rising  towards his boss? Why does he feel the need to turn so defensive over a boy he had just met almost two hours ago? This night was completely diminishing Baekhyun’s temperament, he already knew that he would go straight to the gym and release his wrath and frustrations by using the punching bag.  </p><p>When Jongin complied, they began to make their way towards Mrs. Park, and Baekhyun felt his hopes crumble when he saw that Chanyeol wasn’t there anymore.</p><p>︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵</p><p>After the two bid their goodbyes to everyone, Baekhyun stood outside the front door with his hands stuffed in his pockets, patiently waiting for Jongin to come out. The young man was currently telling his boyfriend, Kyungsoo, that he would be getting dropped home by Baekhyun because they both wanted to leave badly, and Kyungsoo was enjoying himself there. Baekhyun leaned against the wall, having the urge to take a cigarette out of his blazer but he refrained himself from doing so, he would just smoke in the car instead. Although his thoughts were clouded by Chanyeol, he couldn’t help but wonder what the boy’s life was truly like. From what Baekhyun knows already, he wouldn’t be able to tolerate living with his step father who didn’t seem to cherish his presence, and also force him into a career path he didn’t want.</p><p>If Baekhyun could, he would protect him. </p><p>He didn’t get the chance to let Chanyeol know that he was leaving the party, so he could at least return his shirt another time; that would mean Baekhyun would have to ask for his number or some sort of contact, which was clearly a win for him. But Chanyeol was nowhere to be seen. Nor was Director Park. His sister was with Mrs. Park, but Chanyeol wasn’t, and it honestly worried Baekhyun. Just before he was about to go back into the house and drag Jongin out with him, the younger man had finally arrived. “Hey, I’m sorry for taking too long! Kyungsoo was--”</p><p>“Ugh, let’s just go.” Baekhyun cut him off, turning around to leave. He was tired.</p><p>“Damn, someone’s cranky.” Jongin snickered and followed him to his car.</p><p>As they were walking, Baekhyun’s steps slowly came to a halt. He heard a voice. He turned around, eyeing Jongin to see if he was hearing the same as well, and he was. Jongin looked back at Baekhyun with a curious look across his face. “You hear that too?”</p><p>Baekhyun nodded. </p><p>“It seems to be coming from…”</p><p>Baekhyun looked past Jongin’s shoulder and saw Chanyeol standing right around the corner of the house, and he wasn’t alone. Director Park stood in front of him, the disgust sprawled across his face evident due to the streetlight. Chanyeol had his head hung low and his hands clasped in front of himself, Director’s Parks lips were moving and the words he was saying to the younger was audible, but Baekhyun’s eyes stayed on Chanyeol who stood there so helplessly. “Do you not have any idea how embarrassed I felt when you walked through that damn door, dressed like that?” Director Park spat, inching closer and closer to Chanyeol. “I am already embarrassed over the fact that my wife’s son is gay and does ballet, which everyone already knows about, and now you tarnish my reputation even more by coming to this part dressed like a beggar, you know how pathetic you are?”</p><p>“Hyung,” Baekhyun heard Jongin whisper, “Let’s go…” Baekhyun had completely disregarded Jongin’s plea and pushed past him, ready to stride towards them and pull Chanyeol out of that chasm he was falling into. He would have never expected to see or hear Director Park treat such a young person like complete shit, or even anyone at all, he has always been so kind to everyone at work. But Chanyeol… Chanyeol was the last person in Baekhyun’s eyes who deserved that treatment.</p><p>Right before the older man took a step forward, Jongin grabbed his elbow and pulled him back, “Hyung! Listen to me!” He brought his face close to Baekhyun’s and heard his heavy breaths, meaning he was groveling closer to one of his fury outbreaks. “Let’s get the fuck out of here before both of us lose our job, okay? So, c’mon!” Jongin had managed to drag his hyung to the car, he snatched the keys out of his hands and told him he would be driving tonight. Baekhyun kept retaliating, he wanted to break out from Jongin’s hold and beat the shit out of Director Park for embedding those harsh words into Chanyeol's head, making the younger think he was inferior compared to him.</p><p>But then, reality came in and hit Baekhyun square in the face. Who was he to meddle in with their business? Who was he to worry about a young boy who could possibly care any less about him? In Chanyeol’s mind, Baekhyun was most likely just one of his step father’s workers who lended him a shirt, nothing more, and nothing less. Baekhyun just sat in the passenger seat of his own car, his hands resting on his lap as he gazed down at thim, trying to stop himself from looking out the window and at Chanyeol getting scolded by Director Park. Whatever this excruciating feeling was, Baekhyun knew better than to let it take control over himself.</p><p>He simply leaned his head back against the headrest, staring outside the window and directly at the moon as Jongin drove. The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to; from this night where it appeared for the first time in forever, perhaps it possibly led him to Chanyeol. He remembers how the moonlight always seemed to set a spotlight for his guidance, could it possibly have guided him to Chanyeol since he was the only one on his mind? The moon had always paved his way towards a success he constantly longed for, all he needed was the beam for reassurance, and the moon was finally providing him with that on this splendid night; Chanyeol was someone who needed to turn to the moon to seek for auspices.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. i wish my heart can reach you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i apologize if there were any grammatical errors/typos! (◕‿◕✿) i lowkey have a hard time doing last minute edits on here T_T</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How come you still have that man’s shirt?” Yoora asked her younger brother who was rummaging through his drawers, trying to search for the only pair of pajamas he owned, but they were nowhere to be found and he was already on the verge of breaking down. They were finally home after the party ended, and for some reason, Chanyeol felt like he had gotten betrayed; those similar feelings of being deceived were encompassing his poor heart, and on top of that, him not finding his pajamas was chasing him to the edge. He was stressed enough.</p><p>“I couldn’t find him after the party,” Chanyeol said softly, closing the drawer full of his shirts and moved onto his pants drawer, maybe they had gotten misplaced. He wasn’t lying to Yoora, though. He searched and searched for the older man, hoping he could return his shirt and possibly get ahold of his contact information so they could become friends, but he was gone. He had probably left the party early, yet Chanyeol wondered why he couldn’t bother to tell him since they both saw each other while it went on. “I think he left early or something because I did see him earlier. And do you have any idea where my pajamas are? I can’t find them anywhere.” Chanyeol turned around to face Yoora, and when he did, she gasped at the sight of him.</p><p>Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows, wondering why her face was full of shock, but when she moved forward and took his face in her hands, he felt a sharp pain rise upon his both cheeks. Then he remembered. “Oh…” He mumbled, his head hung low, “Dad pulled me out and he…” He felt those familiar tears of anguish well up in his eyes, and before he could finish and let them cascade down his sore cheeks, Yoora stopped him. She released his face from her hold and Chanyeol stayed still, he refused to think about what Yoora’s father had said to him at the party, he wanted to stuff those caliginous memories of his tauntings in the back of his mind so he could peacefully move forward...but how was he supposed to when new memories built upon those he tried to veil?</p><p>“Chanyeol… should we tell mom, at least?” Yoora’s voice came out soft. Chanyeol blinked, raising his head to see a forlornness sprawled across her face. The feeling of someone sticking up for him was strange, mainly because no one had ever offered, as in no one, he means Yoora. Yoora was the only one who was aware of how poorly Chanyeol has been getting treated by <i>her<i> father. Their mother knew how Yoora’s father wasn’t fond of Chanyeol at all, but she didn’t know what actually happened behind closed doors, and Chanyeol didn’t want her to know.</i></i></p><p>
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    <i>He shook his head slowly, turning back around to continue searching for his clothes because it was getting late and he had ballet practice tomorrow. “This should be the last thing she should ever find out, I don’t want her worrying…and I don’t want to cause problems.” He bit the inside of his cheek as hot tears formed in his doe eyes, blurring his vision even more; the thought of their mother finding out about the constant psychological and physical abuse Chanyeol was receiving by Yoora’s father would diminish their relationship, and their mother had seemed happy enough with Yoora’s father. Chanyeol didn’t want to be the cause of the tumbling of their relationship.</i>
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    <i>“So, what? What are you going to do? Sit back and let him ruin the shit out of you?” Yoora appeared beside him and Chanyeol turned his face quickly, wiping his tears with the back of his hands. “You can’t be the coward here, Yeol, you’re going to have to speak up so whatever he is doing to you can come to a halt. I-I can help, I can—”</i>
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    <i>Chanyeol slammed the drawer shut, causing Yoora to flinch from behind. He turned around with wet cheeks, his salty tears burning the gashes developing on his skin, “You really think I’m a coward? <i>I’m</i> the one who gets treated like total shit and <i>I’m</i> the coward for putting up with it? Shouldn’t you be calling me brave here instead since I’ve been enduring all this pain for years? I get that you’re trying to persuade me to stand up for myself, Yoora, but it’s not that simple. This is all easy for you to say because it’s <i>your</i> fucking dad who is ruining my life,” Chanyeol said, his voice remaining calm yet sounding so distressed, so broken. “You cannot tell me what to do with this issue because you’re not the one going through it. I am.”</i></i>
  
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                <i>Yoora stayed at her younger brother who stood there with silent tears streaming down his face. Without saying a word, she simply grabbed her belongings and headed straight for the door of their shared room. Chanyeol followed her, panicking, causing him to stumble. “Wait, wait! W-Where are you going?!” He took ahold of her elbow and she instantly snatched it away from his grip, “I’m sleeping in the fucking guestroom. I don’t give a shit about you getting your ass beat by dad when he doesn’t see me in here,” She placed her hand on the doorknob, turning it, but before she left, she faced Chanyeol. “You <i>deserve</i> it.” The coldness in her eyes made Chanyeol take step backs, and when she walked out, he began crying even more.</i></i></i>
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                    <i>Did he really deserve it? The constant adversities that caused him to tumble, the tears he shed almost every night, the waves of pain that surfaced through his body, did he really deserve all of that? Chanyeol’s legs gave in, and he fell onto the bed, putting his head in his hands as he quietly cried to himself. He and his mother had moved in with Yoora and her dad just three years ago, and back then, nothing was like this. They all lived such happy lives for about a year until Chanyeol began exceeding in ballet, that was the breaking point for him. Yoora’s father was completely ruthless, he was merciless, people deemed him as some savior since he was such a giving CEO, but deep down inside, that man was a monster in Chanyeol’s eyes.</i>
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                    <i>Chanyeol and his mother were happier than ever before they moved in with them, at least Chanyeol was, his mother seemed happier now than she was before since they finally reconnected as a family. His mother promised to support him through the long run, she was well aware of Chanyeol’s dreams of being a ballerina as well as a psychologist since that is what he was currently going to school for, she never showed any signs of objection whenever Chanyeol invited her to his ballet shows, she was always happy for him. That is what Chanyeol needed the most; support, love, guidance that he was once provided with, but now that his stepfather had come into the picture, all those vitalities faded. The shows he had, it came to the point where he felt like he was there performing for absolutely no one, and it was hard for him to actually put in the effort. </i>
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                    <i>His ballet skills were slowly plummeting, and he himself was certainly the one to blame. He was the one to blame for being so weak. The young boy laid down, not bothering to change his clothes or do anything else before he slept, he just stared at the ceiling, enduring the sting on his cheeks from the tears until he grew tired and fell into a deep slumber buried in anguish.</i>
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                    <i>︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵</i>
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                    <i>Sunlight seeped through the curtains in the room and cast upon Chanyeol’s face, causing his swollen eyes to squint while they were shut. The room was suddenly warm due to the sunlight, and Chanyeol had forgotten to slide open the window just a tiny bit. His eyes fluttered open, and he yawned, stretching out his arms like a little kitten who had just woken up peacefully, but Chanyeol had not, he woke up to his head throbbing from all the crying he did last night. Before he could even close his eyes once more and sleep for a little longer in hopes of his headache fading away, he heard voices coming from downstairs, meaning everyone was home. Chanyeol groaned, slipping his phone out of his jeans pocket which he was still in. When he turned it on and saw the date and time on his lock screen, his whole body jolted up off the bed.</i>
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                    <i>It was Saturday, and it was 11:05 am. Practice started at 11:45 am sharp.</i>
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                    <i>“Fuck!” Chanyeol quickly threw himself off the bed and headed straight to his dresser, he pulled out his practice clothes then a hoodie and sweatpants to wear to the center, he then made a beeline straight to the bathroom to freshen up. It didn’t take him too long to brush his teeth and shower since he did both at the same time, what he was worried about was the bus ride if he even missed the bus or not. He packed his clothes in his duffle bag and left the room, even though he was afraid to face Yoora’s father, knowing she snitched out on him and she had to sleep in the guest room, all he cared about at that moment was reaching practice on time.</i>
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                    <i>When he reached downstairs, he didn’t dare to look in the kitchen, where they were all sitting. They were in the middle of a conversation, from what Chanyeol could hear, but when he stepped foot down there, their conversation had come to a halt, making the boy quiver. “Chanyeol, honey,  come join us for breakfast!” He heard his mother offer as he slipped on his old tennis shoes. He didn’t look at them once because he didn’t want his mother to see the gashes on his cheeks, so he opened the door, answering her with a ‘no’ before heading out. He heard Yoora’s father call out his name when he slammed the door shut, and it honestly made his entire heart crumble into pieces because the tone of his voice sounded perturbed; he knew he was getting himself in deep trouble, but he fled from the house, beginning to run to the center since he was certain that he missed the bus. </i>
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                    <i>Others would ask him, ‘since you’re the son of the CEO why on Earth do you take the bus to places? Shouldn’t you have a personal driver?’, Chanyeol would answer ‘no’. Yoora had her own personal driver, but he didn’t, Yoora’s father never assigned one to him. Either way, he would rather take public transportation to places or just walk. The thought of having someone assigned to drive him to places made him feel like he was superior, which he was not. He is a human, his driver would be human, they are on equal chances and Chanyeol didn’t want to seem higher than anyone. So, here he was, running for his life to the center where his ballet practices took place. </i>
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                    <i>11:43 am was the time he reached, and he practically sprinted into the center, only to bump into someone, causing him to fly back and fall on his bottom. “Oof!” He winced, his bottom hitting the hard floor. Now was <i>not<i> the time for him to be clumsy, this would be his first time showing up to practice late. The person he bumped into turned around, ready to apologize, but when they both made eye contact, Chanyeol felt everything in him standstill. He quickly tore his eyes away from the other’s who were filled with a sudden shock, and he picked himself up back onto his feet, dusting the dirt off his clothes from the floor. “Chanyeol… I was not expecting to see you here, and are you okay, I’m sorry,” It was Baekhyun. He stood in front of him, in the line to scan his membership card to enter. He was holding a duffle bag of his own, with his boxing gloves in his other hand.</i></i></i>
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                        <i>“I-I’m alright, thank you for asking, and sorry for bumping into you like that. I’m kind of in a rush,” Chanyeol muttered, scratching the back of his neck while avoiding eye contact from the other. Something in him was burning and thumping, possibly his heart, Baekhyun just looked extremely attractive in just a sleeveless shirt with shorts, showing off his ripe muscles. Chanyeol looked like a stick next to him. Baekhyun took a hold of his wrist by surprise, pulling him in so he was standing in front of him, “What… W-Why did you let me cut you?” He glanced back at Baekhyun, noticing a twinkle sparkling in his orbs.</i>
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                        <i>“Because you said you were in a rush. And what happened to your face?” Baekhyun’s scintillating eyes fell on the gashes, his eyebrows furrowing, looking like he was angry.</i>
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                        <i>“Oh, I just had a small accident last night when I got home, it’s no big deal.” Chanyeol briefly answered and they moved up a spot in line. Baekhyun didn’t seem to buy his excuse, but he chose to stay silent, he just nodded and placed his hand behind Chanyeol’s lower back, pushing him further up in line. “Um, I couldn’t find you after the party yesterday to return your shirt…If I knew I’d meet you today, I would have brought it…” The younger felt a wave of fear rush in his body when Baekhyun’s now stoic face turned at him. </i>
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                        <i>“I left early last night, I was feeling unwell.”</i>
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                        <i>“Oh. T-Then are you feeling better now?</i>
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                        <i>“Mhm. It’s your turn.”</i>
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                        <i>Chanyeol pulled out his phone where his membership card was located, right on the back of his phone since he had a clear case. When the employee scanned it, he moved aside, completely forgetting about practice as he waited for Baekhyun. The older man looked at him confusingly after he got his card signed, Chanyeol flashed him a shy smile which was not returned, “Didn’t you say you were in a rush?” The smile on his face faded and he glanced down at his shoes, his head sinking into his shoulders. Baekhyun was unusually cold today, it’s not like he knew him very well, but today his aura was completely different from last night's.</i>
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                        <i>“Y-Yes, but I—”</i>
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                        <i>“Meet me outside after your practice is over. Then we can talk all you want.” </i>
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                        <i>With that, Baekhyun winked then left. </i>
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                          <i><i>Wait.</i></i></i>
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                            <i>Chanyeol swore his heart fell to the pit of his stomach.</i>
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                            <i><i>Did Baekhyun just...wink at him?</i></i>
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                              <i><i>Oh shit, he did.<i></i></i>
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                                <i>And how did he know Chanyeol had some sort of practice?</i>
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                                <i>In a state of total panic, Chanyeol brushed everything away and raced to their practice room. Luckily, he walked in to see that their instructor hasn’t arrived yet and that saved himself from getting scolded for arriving late. He sat down next to his friend, Yerim, who was already stretching with her attire on. She sent him a soft smile and Chanyeol returned one back, he took out his things from his duffle bag and was about to head to the locker room to change, but he realized that his ballet shoes were hanging off his bag, meaning Baekhyun had seen them and that was how he found out about his practice. Chanyeol couldn’t help but blush. Baekhyun was indeed <i>something<i> and all Chanyeol could think of was his stirring smile and his wink, it was making everything in him twist and turn, playing with his heartstrings as if strumming a guitar. The young boy just sucked in all his lovesick feelings and headed straight to the locker room to change; he was praying that this practice would fly by smoothly so he can meet Baekhyun again.</i></i></i>
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                                    <i>︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵</i>
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                                    <i>When practice had finished, Chanyeol’s feet were still as sore as ever due to how much effort he had been putting in getting better. His toes were slightly bruised, and he recently had to buy a new pair of pointe shoes because he bled through his previous pair, which he had owned for almost a year. Chanyeol took the pain as a sign of hard work and improvement. To him, none of it was bad at all because this was his passion, this is what he enjoyed doing, this is what he gained happiness from-- hopefully abiding happiness.</i>
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                                    <i>He was the first one to leave the practice room after bidding his instructor goodbye, he was already eager to meet Baekhyun but then he wondered; does Baekhyun even know what time his practice had ended? How long did Chanyeol keep him waiting? As the pace of his footsteps became quicker, he heard someone call his name from behind, decreasing his speed, “Chanyeol, wait up for me!” The voice belonged to Yerim.</i>
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                                    <i>Chanyeol waited for her to catch up to him, the younger girl clutched onto his elbow and looked up at him in excitement; “What the hell did I just see during practice? You’ve been doing so well lately and I love that for you!” She exclaimed as they walked down the hall, Chanyeol just grinned at her compliment and brushed her arm off his elbow. Yerim and he have been friends ever since Chanyeol began ballet, they both were beginners at the same time, then exceeded and made their way to the top, together. Yerim was two years younger than Chanyeol, making her just eighteen, so Chanyeol considered her as a best friend and a younger sister. The nights before their shows, they stayed overtime and practiced their roles together, and she was always so encouraging to Chanyeol. She was one of the best people he knew.</i>
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                                <i>“Am not,” He laughed, shrugging off her kind words towards him. “My feet have been killing me lately and it’s holding me back a lot.”</i>
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      </i>“Oh, really?” Yerim pouted, “Have you tried soaking them in warm water after showering? Whenever that happens to me, I do that and it helps.” She suggested, pushing the double doors open for them both so they could enter the main lobby of the center. Chanyeol listened to her halfheartedly, his eyes were searching for Baekhyun.</i></i></p><p>
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                                    <i>“I’ll try tonight and I’ll let you know…” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off when he didn’t see Baekhyun anywhere near the lobby, nor the entrance of the center. Perhaps he left, or maybe he was still boxing; once again, Chanyeol never got the chance to tell him what time his practice ended. He sighed, looking back down at Yeri, “I think I just got bailed out on.” Or that was what he thought.</i>
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                                    <i>“What are you talking about? Were you looking for someone?” She questioned, her eyes wandering around the lobby then back at the taller.</i>
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                                    <i>“Chanyeol.” There it was. That voice.</i>
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                                    <i>Yerim looked over Chanyeol’s shoulder and her face altered, her confused expression turned into an amused one, which made Chanyeol turn around. Baekhyun stood behind them, looking like he had just come out of the showers due to the way his hair was slightly damp, and his clean skin glistened underneath the light. He wasn’t wearing the sleeveless shirt that made Chanyeol’s heart churn, he was now wearing a white shirt with Adidas joggers. The young boy quickly looked away, gulping from how attractive he was. How come he never happened to notice Baekhyun’s charm last night?</i>
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                                    <i>“I’ll see you tomorrow, Chan,” Yerim said from behind him, patting his shoulder.</i>
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                                    <i>Chanyeol muttered a quiet ‘goodbye’ to her and waved. He currently felt like his heart was going to stop beating because of freaking Baekhyun. Yoora’s father’s secretary, who he should <i>not<i> be drooling over right now. The older man stepped closer to him, smiling at him, “Are you down for coffee? There’s this good place across the street and they have some tasty pastries as well.”</i></i></i>
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                                          <i>What?<i></i></i>
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                                            <i>Chanyeol, being the compliant boy he was, nodded. “Y-Yes.”</i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun began to lead him towards the exit, “Then let’s go. I’m starving.”</i>
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                                            <i>The younger just followed him like an obedient puppy. </i>
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                                            <i>As they walked outside, Chanyeol realized that Baekhyun was leading him to his car, possibly to put his belongings away or drive there, but then the coffee shop was right across the street from the center. He looked at Baekhyun from the back, noticing a marking on his skin which made him squint to get a better view; he fastened his space so he was standing closer to Baekhyun, allowing him to analyze the black ink on his neck. There was something written in cursive, it wasn’t exactly on the middle of his nape, it was written more to the left. Chanyeol grew curious and he tugged at Baekhyun’s shirt, moving up so they could walk side by side. “You have a tattoo? May I know what it says?” He asked with bright eyes yet curious eyes, making his stomach churn when Baekhyun side-eyed him with the simplest smirk adorning his face. </i>
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                                            <i>The older brought his hand up to his neck and he rubbed the back, bringing his fresh wounds to sight; Chanyeol was lucky he brought his first aid kit with him today, he was going to make sure to treat Baekhyun’s wounds since that was the least he could do for the giving man. “It says have courage, it’s written in my father’s handwriting.” Baekhyun told him, bringing his hand back down to take the keys out of the pocket of his joggers, “I got it a few years back out of impulse, I do have more, though, in places that can’t be seen because it’s unprofessional to have visible tattoos at work.” </i>
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                                            <i>“I like it a lot, it’s neat. I really want one too…” Chanyeol’s voice trailed off and he rubbed his hand, he always dreamt of getting a tattoo on one of his fingers.</i>
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                                            <i>“Really?” Baekhyun opened his trunk and looked at Chanyeol, cocking a brow, “Where and what? You can also throw your things in my car so you don’t have to take them.”</i>
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                                            <i>The younger just shook his head, he had his first aid kit in his bag, “No, thank you. I’m okay with carrying my stuff. And I want to get one on my middle finger. I’m not sure what, though. I’m still kind of young.” </i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun shut the trunk and locked his car when Chanyeol spoke his last sentence, his face somewhat fell, but the younger shrugged it off. “Does it hurt?” He questioned as they began making their way to the coffee shop. As they walked, they both kept their conversation about tattoos and one another’s pain tolerance going, until they reached there. Chanyeol was slowly beginning to figure that although Baekhyun’s aura was quite intimidating, the man was very soft-spoken, yet he had hints of sophistication laced in his tone. Whenever he was telling Chanyeol something, the younger kept his eyes fixated on Baekhyun’s face, admiring the smallest features of him that he could spot. While Chanyeol spoke, Baekhyun did the same for him as well, he simply watched the way Chanyeol’s plump lips moved as he talked, sometimes forming into a natural pout which tugged at his heartstrings.</i>
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                                            <i>The things Chanyeol had noticed about Baekhyun was the mole above his lip, and how his voice came out as deep yet with a sensual hint to it, Chanyeool wondered what it would be like to hear or see Baekhyun angry, or how he talks fondly to someone he loved, there was something about his low voice that caused a flame inside Chanyeol’s heart to spark. He was very attracted to the man who exuded a dark aura, from the way his grey hair complimented his caliginous eyes, then to how his low cut shirt allowed a tattoo of a beautifully drawn flower with many stems on his chest that led up to his collarbone peak out; in Chanyeol’s mellow eyes, Baekhyun was a dream.</i>
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                                            <i>When they reached the coffee shop, it was not too crowded— just before Baekhyun could ask Chanyeol what he wanted, Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and began leading him to the men’s restroom. “Hey, why the hell are we going to the restrooms? Is something wrong?” Baekhyun asked cautiously, not letting Chanyeol dominate once. Tables had turned and it was now Baekhyun who was towering him. </i>
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                                            <i>“Y–Your wounds, let me at least clean them up,” Chanyeol offered softly, blinking down at the older man who stared at him with curious eyes. He took a glance down at the fresh cuts on Baekhyun’s fingers, he didn’t understand how he could get them from boxing without the gloves. The punching bags have a rubber or leather surface, how could he get such wounds from that?</i>
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                                            <i>“We don’t need to. They rarely hurt.”</i>
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                                            <i>“But still, let me. I have new Rilakkuma bandaids and I want to use them.” Chanyeol chirped, letting Baekhyun’s wrist go. The man’s face was stoic for a few seconds, then after considering Chanyeol’s childish yet caring offer, he chuckled and gave in, letting the younger lead him to the restrooms. </i>
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                                            <i>Thankfully, the restroom was empty, leaving them both alone in there. Baekhyun patiently waited for Chanyeol to take out his things and as he waited, he was told to wash his hands with soap. The thought of Chanyeol being the one to clean up his wounds made him smile like a mad man, whenever Baekhyun hurts himself, he leaves it be since he doesn’t care, and since he has no one around him who does. But Chanyeol was now an exception, the younger seemed to be so eager to help him out and he wholeheartedly appreciated the care. </i>
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                                            <i>Right as he dried his hands with the paper towels, Chanyeol pulled out a first aid kit. “I have this on me at all times because my feet tend to get hurt from the dancing,” The younger explained, opening the container and pulling out his pack of Rilakkuma bandaids and some alcohol wipes to clean the wounds. “It’s crucial for me to carry this, sometimes my toes start to bleed due to the pressure from the shoes. So I guess we both have our own pain from our passions,” The way the words slipped past his lips entranced Baekhyun, he wiped his hands slowly and watched a small smile play on Chanyeol’s lips. </i>
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                                            <i>“I just can’t believe me, a twenty-nine-year-old man will be wearing Rilakkuma bandaids.” Baekhyun laughed lightly, tossing the paper towel in the garbage can and walking to Chanyeol who was ripping open the small pack of an alcoholic wipe. </i>
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                                            <i>“You’re almost thirty, then? And hand, please.” He nodded his head toward the older’s hand, taking it on his own. </i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun hissed when Chanyeol began cleaning his wounds, the younger had heard him and began to dab slowly on the flesh. “Yeah, I’m thirty in May. You?”</i>
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                                            <i>“Twenty–two in November, I’m a sag,” Chanyeol said, moving onto Baekhyun’s other hand after cleaning the other. </i>
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                                            <i>“Sag?”</i>
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                                            <i>“Sagittarius, and you’re a Taurus.” </i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun hummed, he barely knew anything about star signs. He noticed how Chanyeol’s tongue was peeking out from his lips due to how concentrated he was on cleaning Baekhyun’s left wounds. When he finished and began wrapping bandages onto them, the older felt like all the pain from the wounds had subsided not because of how they were clean and wrapped, they subsided because of Chanyeol’s gentle care. </i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun could care less about the Rilakkuma bandaids, he adored them because they were Chanyeol’s and Chanyeol adored them. Watching the younger look so fixated on attempting to mend his wounds made him feel happy—he felt happy because of the comfort, the comfort coming from having someone this close to him. It was a rarity, the last person who cared about Baekhyun like this was his mother. </i>
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                                            <i>By the time the younger finished, Baekhyun stopped him from packing up the things and he took one of the alcohol pads himself, “We can’t forget about your boo-boos.”</i>
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                                            <i>Chanyeol giggled, slightly shivering at the moment where Baekhyun tucked a finger below his chin, making sure his face was still, “Boo boos? What are you? Five?” His eyes clamped shut when Baekhyun began cleaning the gash on his cheeks, it was clear that his pain tolerance was low, and in order to allay it away, Baekhyun used his thumb to caress the soft skin of Chanyeol’s chin. </i>
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                                            <i>“Keep in mind that I’m almost ten years older than you, you’re the one who is five here.” He teased with a straight face, dabbing the cloth against his skin. A part of Baekhyun felt pained to see Chanyeol’s face dirtied by wounds Director Park caused; a part of him wanted to throw his job as a secretary away due to how much wrath he was beginning to carry. </i>
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                                            <i>Chanyeol pouted, “True. Should I call you sir then? Since you work for my...dad?” </i>
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                                            <i>The older didn’t miss the hesitation laced in his voice, just before he addressed Director Park as his father. “I prefer hyung,” He said, finishing up then picking up the garbage to toss. “Sir is too formal.”</i>
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                                            <i>Baekhyun set everything back into the first aid kit and placed it in Chanyeol’s duffle bag. He threw the strap of the bag over his shoulder and glanced at Chanyeol, noticing the redness creeping upon his cheeks, making him look like a budding rose. “Let’s go grab some coffee and pastries.”</i>
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                                            <i>Chanyeol stood there, feeling his entire heart flutter like a butterfly, “Okay...hyung.”</i>
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                                            <i>The word slipped past his lips like a hymn, he had never called anyone hyung before, and just the thought of him calling someone so enticing as Baekhyun hyung made everything in him go on fire, churn, twist and turn, Chanyeol could feel himself grappling onto the idea of possible adulation between him and Baekhyun. </i>
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                                            <i>He followed the older out of the bathroom and they had found a table for two near the back, so Baekhyun told Chanyeol to sit there with his things as he left to order. “What would you like? I can grab one of the menus and bring it here for you.” Baekhyun offered, slipping Chanyeol’s duffle bag off his shoulder and placing it down on one of the chairs. </i>
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                                            <i>“Surprise me?” Chanyeol peeped, glancing down at Baekhyun’s hands with his Rilakkuma bandaids. The older just flashed him an eye–catching smirk that anyone could feel their knees turn weak over, and he turned around, leaving the younger sitting there with a shy smile across his lips along with pink sitting on the apples of his cheeks. </i>
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                                            <i>He watched Baekhyun from afar, he scrutinized every movement of his; from how he was reading the drinks off the menu to himself, to how his finger traced down a line on the menu, then how his furrowed his eyebrows when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, disrupting his analysis of the menu; the younger swore he was head over heels for the older man already, and he was well aware that he shouldn’t be. But life is full of surprises and hardships that are bound to be vanquished, Baekhyun didn’t seem to be another hardship in Chanyeol’s life, he seemed to be an escape route from those hardships. </i>
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                                            <i>As he was too busy gazing at the other from their table, he felt his phone beginning to vibrate in the pocket of his hoodie. He sighed, taking his phone out only to see Yoora’s name flash on the screen. When he picked up the phone, he looked out the window, never noticing that Baekhyun was staring at him from the line. </i>
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                                            <i>“Hello?” Chanyeol’s voice came out hushed since he was in a public place. </i>
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                                            <i>“Hey, when are you coming home? Dad is waiting for you… He wants to talk to you.” She didn’t beat around the bush at all. </i>
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                                              <i>Talk.<i></i></i>
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                                                <i>Chanyeol fiddled with the sleeve of his hoodie, watching cars drive down the street, then pedestrians walking, “Um, I don’t know yet. I’m out with a friend right now.”</i>
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                                                <i>He heard Yoora sigh from the other line and it made him flinch, she sounded annoyed and he was <i>not<i> ready to put up with any more rude remarks from her. “I suggest you come home now. Mom is currently out and he’s sitting at the edge of his seat right now because he needs to talk to you.”</i></i></i>
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                                                    <i>The fact that his mother wasn’t home made his instincts of not wanting to return rise even more. If she wasn’t present, Yoora’s father would not be lenient on him—as if he ever was. “I–I can’t…” His voice trailed off, he stole a glance at Baekhyun who was patiently waiting for their drinks while he was on his phone. He wondered why he didn’t just come back to their table and wait, perhaps it was because he saw Chanyeol on his phone, and he didn’t want to bother. “You know he’ll beat me… I’m not in the right state to put up with it today.”</i>
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                                                    <i>There was a long stride of silence. </i>
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                                                    <i>Before Chanyeol could say anything further, Yoora had beaten him to it, “You shouldn’t have treated me like that yesterday if you didn’t want this to happen. This one is on you, Chanyeol. I was just trying to help you, but you lashed out on me.”</i>
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                                                    <i>God, Chanyeol was not in the mood to put up with this. He saw Baekhyun picking up their order, which was two drinks and one pastry, so he decided on cutting the line before Yoora drove him mad. “I–I’m not coming home tonight,” He told her, entirely out of fear that was easy to detect, “Tell them to not wait for me. I’ll be spending the night with my friend. Talk later.” And with that, before Yoora spoke, he hung up. </i>
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                                                    <i>Right when he put his phone away and looked up, Baekhyun was already placing the hot cups of coffee down on the table, then the pastry which he was holding with his pinky and ring finger. “That was fast,” Chanyeol grinned at him when he took a seat across from him. “What did you get?”</i>
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                                                    <i>Baekhyun slid him the pastry and a cup, “I got you a Chai Latte and a strawberry cheesecake cookie, it’s my favorite and I thought you’d like it. You look like the one who has a sweet tooth.” He had a glint of nervousness resting behind his orbs, hoping that Chanyeol would like what he chose for him.</i>
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                                                    <i>Chanyeol took the cookie and peeked inside the package, getting a savory whiff of the strawberry, “Wah! It smells so good! And you’re right, hyung, I’m a sucker for anything sweet!” </i>
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                                                    <i>The excited look on his face when he tore a piece of the cookie and took a bite made Baekhyun smile warmly, Chanyeol was so young, so youthful, so charming and precious. He handed the older the package with curious eyes, “You don’t want any? It’s your favorite,” </i>
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                                                    <i>“Can’t. I’m avoiding sweets.”</i>
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                                                    <i>“Why? If it’s because you’re dieting, you don’t need to! You’re already so fit, it makes me feel like a slump.”</i>
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                                                    <i>“I’m not dieting, I just don’t usually eat sweets after my sessions.” Baekhyun chuckled, picking up his own cup of the Chai Latte. He really didn’t know what to order for Chanyeol so he just got him the same drink he usually drinks on a day to day basis.</i>
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                                                    <i>The younger pouted and continued munching on the cookie, “You seem like a very mature man, hyung. I should learn from you because I’m very clumsy and soft-hearted. I heard being too soft-hearted all the time isn’t a good thing.”</i>
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                                                    <i>Baekhyun took a quick sip of the hot drink and placed his cup down, “Yeah, because you can get hurt easily.” <i>‘And I don’t want that for you,’ Baekhyun wanted to say. </i><i></i></i></i>
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                                                        <i>“Yeah… My best friend, Jongdae, always tells me that. He tries teaching me how to say no to others in the class, but I always fail. He claims that everyone leeches off me because I let many people take pictures of my lecture notes when they ask. But how can I say no to them? I don’t want them to fail!” Chanyeol exclaimed, never regarding the fond look in Baekhyun’s dark orbs as he kept opening up to the older. If Chanyeol were a book, Baekhyun would take his sweet time reading through his pages so intently. </i>
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                                                        <i>“That’s the thing, Chanyeol. You don’t want them to fail so you give them your notes, they’re going to grow dependent on you if you keep saying yes and that means they’ll slack off then run straight to you. It’s not healthy for you to do that, it won’t benefit them in the future at all.” Baekhyun censures and the younger’s face falls. </i>
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                                                        <i>“R–Really? I never thought of it like that,” He mumbles, gulping down the rest of the cookie he was just chewing on, “I thought I was helping them. But I’m not, aren’t I?” </i>
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                                                        <i>Baekhyun notices crumbs on his plump lips, making him chuckle under his breath. He grabbed a napkin from the dispenser and leaned over the table, gently wiping the crumbs off his lips. Chanyeol froze in his seat and his doe eyes grew wide. When Baekhyun sat back down, he cleared his throat, continuing, “U–Um, so like, I’ll stop doing that. Jongdae was right all along.” </i>
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                                                        <i>The older hummed in response, “Good. When I was in college, I did the exact same thing your classmates are doing to you. And guess what happened? I completely failed my final and had to retake the class.”</i>
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                                                        <i>Chanyeol gasped. “What? What class?”</i>
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                                                        <i>“Calculus. I had to take the series because I needed that for my major.” </i>
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                                                        <i>“And what was your major?”</i>
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                                                        <i>Chanyeol was sure talkative, and Baekhyun didn’t mind that at all, he actually adored that trait of his. </i>
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                                                        <i>“Business. That’s why I’m a businessman today.” The older took another sip of his Chai, mentally cursing at himself for beginning to open up to the younger so fast, it was very unlikely of him—to unveil himself in just whim, to someone who he was not supposed to intimately spend time with, regarding the fact that he was his boss’ stepson. But he couldn’t help himself, let alone ignoring that baby face of Chanyeol’s, everything in him turned weak at the sight of the boy’s Bambi eyes staring into his. </i>
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                                                        <i>“Do you care to tell me a little about yourself, hyung? Why are you a businessman if you’re also a boxer?” There he goes, the inquisitive yet innocent questions, those doe eyes that held such pureness—it was a type of pureness that induced Baekhyun’s blooming imagination of cradling the younger in his arms, carrying him, fondling him, embracing him in his warmth while he takes him away from those who harm him. </i>
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                                                        <i>“Well,” Baekhyun didn’t care. He didn’t care about his boundaries, or what was there to stop him from cherishing the bright boy full of intuition who sat in front of him, whose mouth he just wiped the crumbs off of, he was ready to give in, to give in and forget about the guidelines about falling in love he had set for himself. Fuck it. “Boxing has been like my outlet ever since I was young, I started at the beginning of my high school years because that’s when stress from all the piles of work began coming in, so I needed an outlet to release all my anger and frustrations...I found boxing as that aperture.” </i>
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                                                        <i>Chanyeol held onto his warm cup and took small sips, intently listening to each and every single word of Baekhyun’s. </i>
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                                                        <i>“At one point, I did want to become a boxer but then my parents persuaded me into going into business— mainly because I’d make more money, of course. I actually agreed with them and set aside boxing for a while because of college entrance exams, then when I got accepted into SNU, I continued my sessions and broadened my skills...and now here I am, a part-time boxer yet a full-time businessman.”</i>
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                                                        <i>“That’s super interesting and quite funny because I’m in a similar situation as you too…” Chanyeol said, gazing down at his cup in front of him. “My situation is not exactly as perfect as yours, though. I do ballet and I want to do it for a living, but of course, it wouldn’t please anyone and I’d just come off as an embarrassment to my f–father.” There was a bittersweet smile across his face as his eyes were hung low, and Baekhyun thought back to what Jongin had told him about the rumors last night. </i>
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                                                        <i>“I’m taking courses to apply as a psychology major, so I can work towards becoming a therapist since that’s one of my other passions. But it doesn’t beat ballet…I know I’m not able to do ballet forever, so I just chose psychology so I can tell others that I’m going to become a therapist when I’m older instead of a ballerino.” </i>
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                                                        <i>“I see… How long have you been doing ballet?” Baekhyun asked, genuinely curious about the younger’s backstory. </i>
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                                                        <i>“Hm…” Chanyeol hummed. “I remember starting the summer before my first year of high school. My parents supported me surprisingly, and so did my peers who I am still training with. It’s my dream to become a professional,” The younger brushed out a few strands of his curly hair off his forehead, “I want to stand on that big stage, with the bright lights on me as I give everyone my all. I want to prove to everyone that a boy can become a ballerina, that I’m actually capable of doing so, you know?”</i>
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                                                        <i>“I do, and I can totally see that happening,” Baekhyun was being honest. From how determined Chanyeol seemed to be, he knew that the boy wouldn’t let go of that dream way too easily. “I’d <i>love<i> to see you perform one day, Chanyeol. I want to feel that passion you have for ballet radiating on that stage, because I know you have it, and I know you are able to show it. So work towards that goal of yours and show me you can, hm?” He looked up and realized that the younger man was staring at him in awe. </i></i></i>
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                                                            <i>“What?” Baekhyun smirked, amused. “Is there something on my face or..?” </i>
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                                                            <i>“No!” Chanyeol shook his head rapidly, in the cutest way Baekhyun could describe. “It’s just that… N–No one has ever shown me <i>this<i> much support ever since my mom and I moved in with Yoora and her father, which was about two years ago. It feels reassuring to hear that there’s someone still there rooting for me, so I thank you for that.” If Baekhyun were to be honest, he’d want to be the only one to be told that. </i></i></i>
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                                                            <i>After hearing his words, Baekhyun could feel his cheeks burn, he covered his mouth with a cough and pulled himself away from the younger’s gaze. That look full of adulation garnishing Chanyeol’s face made him completely flustered, “You don’t need to thank me, I’m sure your peers and your instructor are rooting for you as well.”</i>
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                                                            <i>“But hearing it from you feels different, we met just yesterday and you’re supporting me regardless of not seeing me perform before. The others, they have, but you haven’t.” Chanyeol’s voice sounded so bright, just like his eyes and his face looked. From there, the two began rambling on mainly about their school life, from how Baekhyun told Chanyeol many tips and tricks for when he begins to get ready for his master's degree, to Chanyeol complaining about how he’s unsure of what classes to take next quarter. </i>
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                                                            <i>Baekhyun made sure to point out the little mistakes he had made when he began college, so Chanyeol doesn’t make those same mistakes as him. He felt good reassuring the younger about how everything works, mainly because he had already been put through so much stress, which Baekhyun chose not to ask him about. He completely disregarded the gashes on his face because the younger seemed unbothered by them, but he knew where they came from, and it drove him mad. </i>
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                                                            <i>After almost an hour of talking at the coffee shop, the sun was about to set, and they took that as a sign to head back. Chanyeol tried asking Baekhyun how much his cookie and drink cost, but Baekhyun kept ignoring him, he wasn’t going to let the younger one pay him back when he didn’t even work. That led to Chanyeol following him back to his car like the obedient large puppy he was. He watched how Baekhyun was still carrying his bag for him while they were walking to his car. That made Chanyeol think back to his phone call with Yoora and how he told her he wasn’t coming home tonight. </i>
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                                                            <i>Should he ask Baekhyun if he could spend the night at his place? Or would that make everything escalate too quickly? </i>
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                                                            <i>Chanyeol knew he couldn’t ask Jongdae to spend the night at his place— it would be too abrupt and he didn’t want to be a burden on his parents. Just when they got to Baekhyun’s car, the older man put his duffle bag in the backseat and turned to him, the warm eventide shades basking his skin, making him appear as golden, “Get in and I’ll take you back home.” The younger felt his entire heart fall, Baekhyun was his only choice and he needed a cover over his head tonight. He was <i>not<i> in the right state of mind to go home and put up with Yoora’s father. </i></i></i>
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                                                            <i>“Um…actually,” Chanyeol fiddled with his fingers and looked down, earning a confused glance from Baekhyun, “I–Is it okay if I could…spend the night at your place?” God. This was awkward. “I kinda don’t want to go home tonight because I–I…”</i>
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                                                            <i>“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Baekhyun cut him off, he didn’t sound displeased at all. “You can stay with me tonight. I’m cool with that. My apartment is pretty small, though, I only have one bedroom and one bathroom.” </i>
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                                                            <i>Chanyeol’s head shot up and his large eyes turned wide, “Oh my god, that’s totally fine! Don’t worry! I apologize for the late notice, so thank you for saying yes, hyung.” Before he asked, his heart was tumbling down, but now it was soaring in bliss; he was nervous yet he was happy at the same time, he was really going to spend an entire evening and night with <i>Baekhyun.<i></i></i></i>
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                                                            <i>“You’re all good, Chanyeol.” The older chuckled deeply, “Before we head back to my place, we will stop by the store so I can pick up some things for dinner. Are you okay with that?”</i>
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                                                            <i>Chanyeol nodded rapidly. “O–Of course!”</i>
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                                                            <i>Baekhyun just shot him a charming smile and opened the door to the driver’s seat, “Okay, good. Now get in so we can leave.”</i>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>new update !!!! thank you all for the sweet comments on the first chapter, i truly appreciate it ^^ </p><p>ugh i’m having a hard time using italics on this mf website ITS SO FRUSTRATING??</p><p>ANYWAY thank you for the support so far!!! i hope this chapter was good enough for you all :( i struggle aahhhh</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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